Fresno State Athletics
Thursday, May 16
Las Vegas, NV
6:05 PM
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33-14-1, 18-8-1
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Photo by: Zachary Krill/UNLV
Diamond 'Dogs clinch Mountain West regular season crown with 7-0 win at UNLV
5/16/2019 10:10:00 PM | Baseball
The Diamond 'Dogs secured the Mountain West regular season championship on Thursday evening with a 7-0 win at UNLV.
LAS VEGAS - The Diamond 'Dogs clinched the 2019 Mountain West regular season crown on Thursday evening with a 7-0 victory over the Rebels at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With the win, Fresno State (33-14-1, 18-8-1 MW) secures its second Mountain West league title since moving to the conference in 2013 and its 35th overall conference title in program history.
Using a four-run first inning and a dominant pitching performance by starting pitcher Ryan Jensen, the 'Dogs won for the seventh time in their last eight contests.
Jensen matched his career-high tossing eight innings allowing three singles, no runs, no walks and struck out 10 to improve to 10-1 on the season. The Salinas, Calif. native sent down UNLV (27-25, 14-14 MW) in order in six of eight frames and reached double-digit strikeouts for the third time this year.Â
Offensively, the Bulldogs tallied 10 hits getting two hits apiece by redshirt senior third baseman McCarthy Tatum, senior second baseman Nolan Dempsey and sophomore first baseman Zach Presno.
In addition, senior center fielder Zach Ashford hit his fourth home run of the season while sophomore designated hitter Emilio Nogales drove in two runs with his eighth double of 2019.
How It Happened
The 'Dogs wasted no time getting the offense going with Ashford leading off with a home run to center field. Catcher Carter Bins followed with a walk and shortstop JT Arruda came through with a single through the right side putting runners at the corners for Tatum. Like he has all season, the Mountain West RBI leader delivered with runners on base chopping a single through the left side of the infield driving in Bins for a 2-0 lead.
Nogales continued the 'Dogs strong start from the plate with a two-run double to left field driving home both Arruda and Tatum for a 4-0 lead.
The 'Dogs added a run in the top of the fifth on a one-out single down the left field line by Dempsey and the San Carlos native added his second RBI of the game in the seventh inning with a double to right-center. The scoring was rounded out by Tatum coming in to score on a wild pitch.
Redshirt junior Ryan Sullivan, one of three current Bulldogs along with Ashford and Tatum who were on the 'Dogs last MW championship team in 2016, came on to pitch the ninth allowing one hit.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On tonight's performance.....
"Jensen had outstanding stuff all night. We came out and guys were excited and scored four runs early and that makes it easier to pitch with a four-run lead and we got great defense."
Junior pitcher Ryan Jensen
On securing the Mountain West regular season championship....
"It is great and just wanted to take every pitch one-by-one and stay focused.
On getting a four-run cushion before heading out to pitch....
"It helps to just go out there and make your pitches and hope the offense keeps scoring."
On being a Mountain West champion....
"It feels amazing and this is what we have been working for all year."
Notables
- It is Coach Batesole's seventh conference regular season title in his 17 seasons at Fresno State joining 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, & 2011 in the WAC and 2016 in the MW. In addition, the Bulldogs have won six conference tournaments in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2012 under Batesole.
- The Bulldogs will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Mountain West Tournament hosted by Nevada.
- The 'Dogs improve to 14-3-1 over their last 18 MW games.
- The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight, 14 of their last 17 and 18 of their last 22 overall.
- The 'Dogs are 19-5 when they score in the first inning and 27-5 when scoring first.
- It is the Bulldogs' third shutout of the season.
- Fresno State snapped a four-game losing skid in Las Vegas with its first win at UNLV since May 6, 2017.
- The 'Dogs have now won eight straight road games and are 20-6 away from home this season.
- Tatum extended his hitting streak to 16 games while Arruda pushed his on-base streak to 18 games.
- Jensen becomes the first Bulldog pitcher to reach 10 wins since Jimmy Lambert went 10-2 in 2016.
Up next
The Bulldogs go for the series win on Friday with game two of the series at 6:05 p.m.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostateathletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
With the win, Fresno State (33-14-1, 18-8-1 MW) secures its second Mountain West league title since moving to the conference in 2013 and its 35th overall conference title in program history.
Using a four-run first inning and a dominant pitching performance by starting pitcher Ryan Jensen, the 'Dogs won for the seventh time in their last eight contests.
Jensen matched his career-high tossing eight innings allowing three singles, no runs, no walks and struck out 10 to improve to 10-1 on the season. The Salinas, Calif. native sent down UNLV (27-25, 14-14 MW) in order in six of eight frames and reached double-digit strikeouts for the third time this year.Â
Offensively, the Bulldogs tallied 10 hits getting two hits apiece by redshirt senior third baseman McCarthy Tatum, senior second baseman Nolan Dempsey and sophomore first baseman Zach Presno.
In addition, senior center fielder Zach Ashford hit his fourth home run of the season while sophomore designated hitter Emilio Nogales drove in two runs with his eighth double of 2019.
How It Happened
The 'Dogs wasted no time getting the offense going with Ashford leading off with a home run to center field. Catcher Carter Bins followed with a walk and shortstop JT Arruda came through with a single through the right side putting runners at the corners for Tatum. Like he has all season, the Mountain West RBI leader delivered with runners on base chopping a single through the left side of the infield driving in Bins for a 2-0 lead.
Nogales continued the 'Dogs strong start from the plate with a two-run double to left field driving home both Arruda and Tatum for a 4-0 lead.
The 'Dogs added a run in the top of the fifth on a one-out single down the left field line by Dempsey and the San Carlos native added his second RBI of the game in the seventh inning with a double to right-center. The scoring was rounded out by Tatum coming in to score on a wild pitch.
Redshirt junior Ryan Sullivan, one of three current Bulldogs along with Ashford and Tatum who were on the 'Dogs last MW championship team in 2016, came on to pitch the ninth allowing one hit.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On tonight's performance.....
"Jensen had outstanding stuff all night. We came out and guys were excited and scored four runs early and that makes it easier to pitch with a four-run lead and we got great defense."
Junior pitcher Ryan Jensen
On securing the Mountain West regular season championship....
"It is great and just wanted to take every pitch one-by-one and stay focused.
On getting a four-run cushion before heading out to pitch....
"It helps to just go out there and make your pitches and hope the offense keeps scoring."
On being a Mountain West champion....
"It feels amazing and this is what we have been working for all year."
Notables
- It is Coach Batesole's seventh conference regular season title in his 17 seasons at Fresno State joining 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, & 2011 in the WAC and 2016 in the MW. In addition, the Bulldogs have won six conference tournaments in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2012 under Batesole.
- The Bulldogs will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Mountain West Tournament hosted by Nevada.
- The 'Dogs improve to 14-3-1 over their last 18 MW games.
- The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight, 14 of their last 17 and 18 of their last 22 overall.
- The 'Dogs are 19-5 when they score in the first inning and 27-5 when scoring first.
- It is the Bulldogs' third shutout of the season.
- Fresno State snapped a four-game losing skid in Las Vegas with its first win at UNLV since May 6, 2017.
- The 'Dogs have now won eight straight road games and are 20-6 away from home this season.
- Tatum extended his hitting streak to 16 games while Arruda pushed his on-base streak to 18 games.
- Jensen becomes the first Bulldog pitcher to reach 10 wins since Jimmy Lambert went 10-2 in 2016.
Up next
The Bulldogs go for the series win on Friday with game two of the series at 6:05 p.m.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostateathletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jensen, Ryan (10-1)
L: HARE, Ryan (7-4)
Batting:
2B: Dempsey, Nolan 1 ; Nogales, Emilio 1
HR: Ashford, Zach 1
RBI: Ashford, Zach 1 ; Tatum, McCarthy 1 ; Dempsey, Nolan 2 ; Nogales, Emilio 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashford, Zach 1 ; Bins, Carter 1 ; Arruda, JT 3 ; Tatum, McCarthy 2
SB: Arruda, JT 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
Outfield
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ BaseballInfield
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ Baseball
Infield
/ BaseballCatcher
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ BaseballInfield/RHP
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